Stirrer



Dec. 6, 1949 c. B. M DOUGALL 2,490,142

STIRRER Filed Aug. 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet l Snnenror CHARLES BRYANT MACDOUGALL attorneys Dec. 6, 1949 c. B. MacDOUGALL 2,490,142

STIRRER Filed Aug. 17, 1946 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 0 5 E J J E \I. l l 1 E J Q g 63 Z Z Z 5 T1 5 E Inventor CHARLES BRY'ANT MAC DOUGALL u a a Z attorneys Patented Dec. 6, 1949 UNITED STATES FATENT OFFICE 11 Claims.

The present invention relates to a stirrer or miner intended primarily for domestic use and for permanent or built-in installation in a home, whereby, whenever desired, beverages such as milkshakes can be mixed.

Certain of the objects of the invention are indicated 9r implied above, such as the desirability of providing a stirrer which can be built in, and when so built in will have the operating mechanism c nc e an pr ed. vet acces i le for service whennecessary, and also the provision of such a stirrer which shall be of relatively simple nature and inexpensive construction, yet sufficiently reliable in operation to avoid the necessity of irequentor expert servicing. Along the same lines it isalso an object of the invention to pro.- Vide such a stirrer which shall be compact, so that'it -may be built into and occupy but a small space Within the normal wall construction.

structurally it is an object of the present invention to provide such a stirrer so constructed that the operation or engaging the container,- mounted cover and stirrer shaft with the motor,- driven shaft-will automatically engage aopair of complemental clutch elements between such shafts, and will also, and preferably after such clutch engagement is substantially complete, effect automatically the energization .of the motor; and so constructed further that, vice versa, the first action tending to disengage the clutch will deenergize the motor before effective clutch disengagement.

It is also an object to provide a construction such that the weight of the motor is applied to ho7d in place a tight cover upon the container, and indirectly through the cover to holdin proper position thecover-mounted stirrer shaft. Pref.- erably also the arrangement is such that the motors weight is applied, not through the mediumof the interengageable clutch elements, but through a separate member, whereby less strain on the motor-driven shaft results, and less yibrationoccurs in all parts of the mechanism.

The .objects above can be accomplished largely by a structure in wh ch either the motor is ver.- tically movable with respect to the container and its support, or in which the container and its support .are vertically movable with respect to the motor. However, for theparticular casein which the motor is the vertically movable element, it is a ffurther object to provide a motor supportto hold it in its elevated'or nonoperating position, which is simple in arrangement and positive in its operation, and which yet is readily movable to efiect downward or upwarg, mqygment of the motor, when required, and to lock it in its upper position, yet without restricting its downward position and its support from the cover.

With these and other objects in mind, as will appear hereinafter, the invention comprises the novel elements and their combination and arrangement, as shown in the accompanying drawings, described in this specification, and as will be more particularly pointed out by the claims which terminate the same.

In the accompanying drawings, the invention is shown-in a form such as is presently preferred by me, but it will be understood that various changes may be made in the form, nature, and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit of the invention as set forth in the claims.

The present invention is related to the arrangement shown in the originally copending but now abandoned application of Lee D. Garnett and Charles 'B. MacDougall, Serial No. 635,851, filed Dec. 19,1945. More particularly the present arrangement constitutes a division from that application of subject matter which is the sole invention of the applicant herein, and which relates particularly to the beverage mixer therein disclosed.

Figure 1 is in general an elevation of the mixer, with casing parts and the like shown in section, transversely through a wall wherein the stirrer is mounted, with parts arranged in their respective operating positions.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view similar to Figure 1, showing parts, however, in the nonoperating position.

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view, substantially on the plane indicated by the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure '4 is a broken away rear view of the stirrer.

Figure 5 is an enlarged axial sectional ,view of the cover-mounted shaft and its bearing in the cover.

The present form of the stirrer is intended primarily to be built into the wall of a kitchen,

for example, and the finish wall is shown at W, It will be provided with a recess to receive the mechanism of the stirrer, but because it is undesirable or unsightly to leave a recess larger than is sufiicient to receive the container C, yet more space must be provided for the operating mech; anism, and the latter must be accessible for removal and repair, a housing H is provided large enough to encase the entire stirrer, its controls, and theassociated container C, but this housing preferably is partly concealed behind the wall. There is visible from the room only the casing A, defining a niche which is of a size to receive the container C, and which conceals the operating mechanism which is supported upon the top of the casing A. Such mechanism is insertable and removable therewith from the housing H, wherein it is housed within the space S above the top of the casing A. A single screw or bolt B interengaging the casing A and the housing H serves as a convenient means of locating and supporting the casing, and the mechanism mounted thereupon.

The container C must be of a proper size, particularly as to its height, to cooperate with the stirrer mechanism. Furthermore it must be properly located and positioned. One means for so locating the container, and its cover, consists in forming the bottom of the casing A as a platform, with a slight upstanding rim 9 thereupon, as a means of locating and preventing dislocation of the container C. The container is fitted with a cover 8, and preferably this is a tight cover, provided with a gasket Bil, whereby it may seat tightly upon the lip of the container C and prevent any possibility of splashing out or running over during the mixing operation. Journaled in this cover is an upright stirrer shaft 8| carrying at its lower end a stirrer element or elements indicated at 82. These may take any suitable form, and indeed there may be alternative covers and stirrer elements provided for accomplishing different types of operations.

The journal of the shaft 8! in the cover 8 is shown in some detail in Figure 5, and while this specific form is not essential, it is well suited to the ends in view, which are to prevent exudation of lubricant from the journal, to prevent ingress of beverage materials into the journal, and to journal the shaft both for rotation and for some slight axial thrust, although the latter is primarily only the thrust occasioned by the shaft 8| itself. Thus the journal is composed of a lower part 83 and an upper part 84 together constituting a closed lubricant-filled housing, kept closed by the packing rings 85. Within this enclosure are spaced ball bearings 85, which are sufficient to mount the shaft for rotation and for the slight axial thrust which its own weight or the axial stresses upon it produces. At its upper end, above the cover 8, the shaft 8! is provided with a clutch element 81.

Within the space S a motor i is located, and this motor is preferably so guided that it may move vertically, although, as in the copending application referred to above, the motor may be stationary, and instead the container-supporting platform may be vertically movable. The motor is provided with guide ears Ill, by which it-is guided upon posts 2!! upstanding from the casing A, for vertical movement in a fixed path. The motor shaft H, carrying an adjustably mounted extension sleeve 12, is rotated by the motor when energized, and moves vertically with the motor. The shaft I l or its extension 5 2 might be separate from the motor shaft, and be driven by the latter, particularly if a change of speed is desirable, but it is largely immaterial whether this shaft be the motor shaft itself or a separate shaft driven from the latter.

In either event the extension I 2, carrying a clutch element 1'! complemental to and aligned with the clutch element 81, by the relative verative engagement or disengagement of the two. When so engaged, the motor when energized will effect rotation of the stirrer shaft 8|. When the clutch elements are disengaged the motor can no longer drive the stirrer shaft, and the container, its cover 8, and the cover-mounted stirrer shaft can be withdrawn from the niche defined by the casing A, or can be inserted thereinto. The rim 9, or any equivalent container-locating element, holds the container C in such position that the clutch elements II and 81 can automatically engage.

Such vertical movement of the motor, for en gagement and disengagement of the complemen-- tal clutch elements, is under control of an operating button or handle 3, which protrudes from the front of the casing A, and has its shank 3i! guided therein for horizontal movement. In order to translate this horizontal movement of the control element 3 into vertical movement of the motor, and in order to make sure that the motor is held positively in its upraised position, and yet is permitted to rest its weight upon the cover 8 when lowered, a linkage arrangement which is about to be described is preferably employed.

A lever Si is fixedly pivoted at 32 to the top of the casing A. and its opposite end, at 33, is pivotally connected by a link 34 pivoted at 3'! to the housing of the motor I. Intermediate the pivots 32 and 33, and offset from the line thereof, is a pivot 35, at which point a link 36 is connected, which link is pivotallyconnected to the inner end of the plunger or shank 38. The arrangement and proportioning of the parts is such that when the control button 3 is pulled out to its limit position, as shown in Figure 1, the lever 31 is rocked downwardly about its pivot 32 into a substantially horizontal position, and the motor is lowered and the clutch elements If and 58 may engage. When the control button 3 is pushed inward to its limit, as shown in Figure 2, the effect is to rock the lever 3i upwardly and rearwardly about its pivot 32, into the position shown in Figure 2, wherein the motor is up raised, and the pivot point at has shifted. rear wardly beyond a line joining the pivots 32 and- 31. The result is that the motor is locked effec'- tively in its upper position, until such time as an outward pull on the button 3 moves the pivot 33 into alignment with 32 and 31, or forwardly beyond such alignment, and when that occurs, the motor is free to mov downwardly, being restrained, of course, by the control button 3.

It has been found that if the weight of the motor is applied to the cover 8 wholly through the two-part shaft 8!, H there is an undue amount of vibration transmitted to the container C, and an undesirable end-thrust is imposed upon the motor shafts bearings. It is preferable that the motors weight be applied to the cover, to hold the latter down, otherwise than through endwise thrust transmitted through the two-part shaft. To this end there is carried by the motor a depending rod 4, which projects through the top of the casing A, and is of such length that when the motor is in its down position, as shown in Figure 1, the lower end of the rod rests upon the cover 8, and transmits the weight of the motor to the cover. Its tip All may be of rubber. When the motor is upraised, as in Figure 2, the rod 4 is upraised so that it is substantially entirely withdrawn from the niche defined by the casing A.

tical movement between I! and 81 effects Qper- Whil 11 is pbgsible 1 employa, manually opened ands olosedf control: switch: 1 tor the? motor I, it

is-preferablethat thisbeso arranged as to be automatically opened and closed, and in i such under controliof a switch- 5, carried uponthe top-of the'casing-A; thebutton-iflrwhereof is located in alignment with a switch-closing finger 5|. carried by and movable with. the'motor. The parts are-so located and; proportioned that the finger 5| will. not :engage and close the switch. at 5 until; after the clutch elements have been properlyengaged, and-the rod'4 engagedswith the: cover,; and-:the first upward movement of the motor. serves toopen the circuit at the switch 5 before the clutch" elements have i been disengaged;

All operatingmechanism is mounted upon the casing Aglandrcan be removed and replaced with thelatter;nevertheless, every part is well'protected by thehousing H.

I claim. a as my 1 invention:

1, Asti'rrercomprising, in combination, a container supporting and locating element, a rector, means normally supporting said motor in elevated, nonoperating position, means guiding said mctor for 'movemcnt upwardly and downwardly in a fixedpath, a coveriormed to seat upon a container while the latter rests upon and is located 'by-said' supporting and locating element, at two-part upright shaft extending through andfupwardly above said cover, and formed at its-lowenend for agitation of liquid; one-part being; journaled in-- said: cover and the other part being connected ;to:said motor to be driven thereby,- andto -move upwardly and downwardly therewith, said two parts being operatively connectible by complemental clutch elements, means tolower said motor downwardly from its normal. elevatedposition, to engage said clutch elements and ;-to permit said :motor to rest upon the-cover, or to raise said motor to its normal elevated, nonoperating. position, to disengage said clutch elements, and to free the cover oi: the support of tn-e motor; and .meansautomatically operable after engagement of said clutchelements to energize saidmotor, and automatically operable in advance of their disengagement to deenergize said motor.

2. A stirrer comprising, incombination, a fixed container supporting and locating element, a, motor, means normally supporting said motor in elevated, nonoperating position, means guiding said motor for movement upwardly and downwardly in a-fixed path, a cover formed to seat upon a ,contai-nerwwhile the latter rests upon and is cated by said supporting and locating element, a two-partupright shaft extendingthrough and upwardly above said cover, and formed'at its lower end for agitation of liquid, one part being journaled in said cover and the other part being connected to said motor to be driven thereby, and to move upwardly and downwardl therewith, said two parts being operatively connectible by complemental clutch elements, means to lower said motor downwardly from its normal elevated position, to engage said clutch elements and to permit said motor to rest upon the cover, or to raise said motor to its normal elevated, nonoperating position, to disengage said clutch elements, and to free the cover of the support of the motor, a normally-open motor-control 6 i switch, fixedly positioned,. and means carriedby and movable with the motor, operatively engageable with said switch to close it, as the motor moves downwardly, after engagement of said clutch elements, and vice versa.

3%.: A stirrer comprising, in combination, a containerelocating and supporting element, a motor disposedewith its shaft vertical, in alignment with said locating element, means guiding said motor for bodily vertical movement, means normallysupporting said motor in elevated nonoperating position, and shjftalole to lower the same, a=motor.-control switch, a switch-operating element movable with the motor in a path to engage saiduswitch, and arranged to energize the motor asitireaches its down position and to deenergizeit 1 as it starts upward, an auxiliary motorhsupport dependable beneath and movable with the motor, a cover formed to seat upon a container while the latter is supported from and located by said locating element, a vertical shaft journaled'in cover in alignment with the motor shaft, and formed at its lower end to agitate liquids, said two shafts having complementally engageable clutch elements disposed to engage priorto motor-energizing movement of said switch, and vice versa, said auxiliary motor support being of a length to engage the cover substantially simultaneously with switch-closure, and control means to shift said motor support, fordownward movement of the motor and its support solely by the auxiliary support, and conversely for upward movement for its support solely by .the first-mentioned support.

4, A stirrer comprising, in combination, a con-i for bodilyvertical movement, means normally suppor-ting said motor in elevated, nonoperating position, and shiftable to lower the same, a motorcontrol switch, a switch-operating element movable: with the motor in a path to engage said switch, and arranged to energize the motor as it reachesits down position and to deenergize it as it starts=upward, a cover formed to seat upon a container while the latter rests upon said supporting and locating element, a vertical shaft journaled-in said cover in alignment with the motor shaft, and formed at its lower end to agitate liquids, said two shafts having complementally engageable clutch elements disposed to engage prior to motor energiaing movement of saidswitch and vice versa, a pressure rod depending from said motor and engageable with the cover to support the motor from the cover in its final down position, and control means to shift said normal motor support, to raise or lower the motor.

5. Abuilt-in domestic stirrer comprising, in combination, a casing formed for reception within a wall recess, and open at its inside face, a container-locating element mounted upon said casing, a motor guided upon and above the top of said casing for bodily vertical movement, with its shaft projecting within the casing for operative engagement with a container-mounted stirrer shaft, means including operating mechanism located within and an actuating member protruding from the space above said casing, for effecting movement of said motor from an upraised nonoperating position to a lowered operating position, and means to energize said motor by movement of the latter into its lowered position, and to deenergize the'same by raising the same into its nonoperating position.

6. A built-in domestic stirrer comprising, in combination, a casing formed for reception within a wall recess, and open at its inside face, a container-locating element mounted upon said casing, a motor guided upon and above the top of said casing for bodily vertical movement, with its shaft projecting within the casing for 0perative engagement with a container-mounted stirrer shaft, means including operating mechanism located within an actuating member protruding from the space above said casing, for effecting movement of said motor from an upraised nonoperating position to a lowered opera-- ting position, a motor-control switch mounted upon said casing, and a switch-engaging element mounted upon said motor, and movable with the latter in a path to engage said switch for energization of the motor as the motor reaches its lowered position, and vice versa.

'1. A built-in domestic stirrer comprising, in combination, a casing formed for reception within a wall recess, and open at its inside face, a contamer-locating element mounted upon said casing, a motor guided upon and above the top of said casing for bodily vertical movement, with its shaft projecting within the casing for operative engagement with a container-mounted stirrer shaft, means including operating mechanism located within and an actuating member protruding from the space above said casing, for effecting movement of said motor from an upraised nonoperating position to a lowered operating position, motor-control switch mounted upon said casing and within the space thereabove, a switchengaging element mounted upon said motor, and movable with the latter in a path to engage said switch for energization of the motor as the motor reaches its lowered position, and vice versa, and a housing for mounting within the wall recess, of a size to receive, enclose, and removably support the casing and the elements mounted directly and indirectly thereupon.

8. A stirrer comprising, in combination, a motor having its shaft vertically disposed and terminating at its lower end in a clutch element, a cover formed to rest upon a container, an agitater shaft journaled vertically in said cover and terminating at its upper end in a clutch element complemental to that upon the motor shaft, a supporting and locating element to support the container, whereby to position the cover when supported upon the container at a predetermined level, means guiding the motor for upward movement from clutch-engaged to clutch-disengaged position, and the reverse, means separate from and interposed between the motor and the cover to transmit substantially the entire weight of the motor to the cover, when parts are in clutchcngaged position, and means to support th motor in clutch-disengaged position.

:9. A stirrer comprising, in combination, amotor having its shaft vertically disposed and terminating at its lower end in a clutch element, a cover formed to rest upon a container, an agitator shaft journaled vertically in said cover and terminating at its upper end in a clutch element complemental to that upon the motor shaft, a supporting and locating element to support the container, whereby to position the cover when supported upon the container at a predetermined level, means guiding the motor for upward movement from clutch-engaged to clutch-disengaged position, and the reverse, means interposed between the motor and the cover to transmit substantially the entire weight of the motor to the cover, when parts are in clutch-engaged position, and means interconnecting the motor with a fixed support, and shiftable between a self-locking motor-raised clutch-disengaged position, wherein the motors weight is supported from said fixed support, and a motor-lowered clutch-engaged position wherein the motors weight is supported upon the cover through said weight-transmitting means.

10. In a stirrer, in combination with a motor "having a shaft depending therefrom and a container locating element aligned therebeneath, means for immediate support of the motor, the motor being bodily shiitable from such support and back again, a cover formed to seat upon a container which is located upon said locating element, an upright shaft journaled in said cover, at its lower end for agitation, and aligned by the covers mounting upon the container, and by the latters location upon the locating element with the depending motor shaft, the corresponding ends of the two shafts being complementally formed for driving interengagement by relative axial movement, and means to affect axial approach 0f the motor and locating element to effect such interengagement, and simultaneously to shift the motor from its immediate support, for support instead upon the cover, or vice versa.

11. A stirrer as in claim 10, including a member independent of said shafts, mounted upon one or the other of the motor or cover, and engageable by their relative shaft interengaging movement to support the motor, during such engagement, from the cover but independently of the shafts interengaging elements.

CHARLES BRYANT MACDOUGALL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,348,222 Holmes Aug. 3, 1920 1,445,112 Titus et al. Feb. 13, 1923 1,700,729 Gilchrist Jan. 29, 1929 1,728,658 Bramsen et a1 Sept. 17, 1929 1,735,143 Supervielle Nov. 12, 1929 

